so I’ve had some problems where I wasn’t getting cuts on some areas of my work. at first I thought this could be due to the pierce delay I had selected, but then I began to think, could it have been that my torch was touching the workpiece? would this cause a loss of arc and no cutting?
I was using the smaller shim.
16ga steel, 1.0 tip, 40amps, 75psi, 110ipm
Usually if the torch touched the part would move. If your torch is going out it might be loosing connection with the clamp. I actually take a jumper wire and attach it between the clamp and the part I’m cutting.
I’ll have to take pictures in a little bit and attach to show you. No I wasn’t using lead ins and outs in sheetcam.
Sometimes while the metal is cutting it can warp away from the slat bed and cause an intermittent loss of the work clamp connection that’s why I use the extra wire. Especially so just before it’s time for new slats.
Do you have a picture of the setup or what type of wire and clamp?
Much appreciated.
Why not just clamp directly to the workpiece?
Well the Clamp sits high and is less a consumable part than a little jumper with clips I make as I need. Always afraid of it getting hit too. If the sheet hangs off I definatly attach directly though.
I used to do just that but then started doing it even if it’s a small piece. The bottom grip is in the water but that doesn’t hurt anything. I figured the clamp is appropriately sized for the current more than maybe the screw connections between the slats holders and the tray (my water table is lined with bed liner to help keep it from corroding so the electrical connection isn’t the whole pan).
I was noodling with changing to the kind of clamp my Tig welder uses which is heavier and flat jawed vs toothed. I think that’s an even better connection than the clamp coming off the plasma cutter. Now I’m going to wait to see what I might need with the new Pro.
Yes I attach right to one of the slats actually… jot the table, too much crud in thw table and hard to get a good connection through.
If it’s a smaller piece or a lighter gauge I’m afraid it would move it or pull it.
I clamp to the nut under the water table. I’m going to move the clamp to one of the slats. I might make a piece of wire and a clip to go from there to the work piece.
Thats what I do exactly
If I were going to do that I’d probably use 8ga or maybe 10 stranded to make sure that isn’t an electrically limiting part of the total circuit.
Thank you guys. Got a secondary ground set up and will test it tomorrow.